


Proper Care and Feeding

by AriaDream



Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M, Lilynette is evil, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-17
Updated: 2016-06-04
Packaged: 2018-05-27 06:01:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6272650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AriaDream/pseuds/AriaDream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by New Order! An after Aizen's Victory fic where Starrk is forced to assume the most horrible of burdens... responsibility. He's been given a catatonic Shunsui to act as a reference guide to being a taichou, but is there a little more to Aizen's plans? And Lilynette is just evil. Enjoy!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Is he supposed to look like that?”

“I… don’t think so,” Starrk gazed at the shinigami in front of them, feeling vaguely alarmed. Lilynette was looking him over dubiously. The drool was particularly off putting. “I think Gin went too far.”

“Gin’s dead, remember? Aizen must’ve done this. I think?” Lilynette tapped her bottom lip with a finger as Starrk rubbed his forehead with a sigh.

“It’s hard to keep track…” In the aftermath of his victory, Aizen had used the power of the King’s Throne to resurrect ALL of his arrancar. Every single one. However, he was doing it in stages to keep the disruption to a minimum and Starrk was having trouble keeping track of who was currently alive. That was confusing enough but it didn’t help that several of them had already managed to die again, fighting the shinigami. Subduing the population was an amusing chore. Starrk was very glad that he couldn’t participate. His overwhelming power was, well, overwhelming and Aizen wanted to take things intact.

So he’d been given the job of holding a shinigami and supervising his Division. Starrk had a very bad feeling about where that was actually going, given the condition of the shinigami in question.

“Taichou-san,” Starrk made his voice as gentle as possible as he knelt beside the man in pink. He was tossed up against a wall, reminding the Espada of a discarded toy. His clothing was in shreds, the kimono included, and slathered liberally with blood and other fluids. The body beneath, however, was unmarred. Starrk was sure Inoue Orihime could be thanked for that. “Taichou-san?” Nothing. When he held up a finger and moved it back and forth, grey eyes did not track.

“Come on Starrk! He’s just faking!” Lilynette said impatiently and Starrk bit his lip. “Use the thing already!”

“Kami I hope so,” Starrk muttered. Given the rider to his instructions, though, he had a bad feeling no fakery was involved. Sighing, he spoke to the man across from him. “My apologies, taichou-san. This will hurt.” Where to apply it, though? After a moments’ thought Starrk selected the man’s left hand. Then he pressed the object, an odd little orb, onto the top of his hand. There was an evil hiss and Starrk blinked as he felt his own power flow into that wound, sliding into taichou-san’s body and winding around his. It reminded Starrk of a parasitical vine and kami, it was powerful! Then it finished and there was an imprint of a gothic one on taichou-san’s hand.

“Okay, this is really bad ain’t it?” Lilynette observed and Starrk groaned.

“Yes, I’m afraid so.” Starrk wasn’t the first to get a shinigami and he’d questioned both Halibel and Ulquiorra on what the process was like. Ulquiorra, in particular, had reported almost being assaulted by emotions as soon as the bond was completed. What Starrk was feeling was… nothing. “Taichou-san, are you in there? Lilynette, stop.” She was poking his face. “Or wipe off the drool.” That really was unsettling.

“I’m not touching that! Hmph, this is boring…” Starrk tuned his other half out as he gazed at taichou-san. There was still the possibility that he was faking, although if so he was masterful at it. Still, he was old and dangerously intelligent so Starrk knew he couldn’t rule it out. At least, not unless he verified it. And fortunately or unfortunately, he had the means to do that.

“I’m sorry, taichou-san,” Starrk murmured before resting a hand against the man’s forehead. Then he closed his eyes and used the connection Aizen had forged.

Starrk was able to access taichou-san’s mind without resistance. That, he knew, was odd. Halibel and Ulquiorra had both done this and Ulquiorra had reported severe resistance, to the point that he’d inflicted physical pain to distract the woman from her mental battle. But Starrk was even more dismayed by what he found. He knew, from experience, that it was nearly impossible to consciously stop one’s self from thinking. Yet, he could find no trace of higher functions at all. Taichou-san’s mind was completely blank, not a single thought in it, as far as Starrk could tell. His memories were all there and the arrancar quickly rifled through them, just to make sure he could. Images flashed in front of his eyes and Starrk blinked as the name came to him. _Kyoraku Shunsui._ Right, that was it, he’d forgotten.

“Man, what did Aizen do to him? I mean, I can tell he was raped – “ Starrk had been trying to ignore that. “But there’s no way that’d be enough to do him in like this. And it’s only been a week! I mean, a week’s a long time to get tortured constantly but Aizen couldn’t have been torturing him constantly, he’s been busy and stuff.”

“He… might have been getting someone else to do it,” Starrk muttered. There were endless possibilities among the arrancar. And yet… “He was so strong.” Starrk had sensed the man’s strength, not just physical but mental, in the battle. “Hm.” With the Throne, though, and his familiarity with illusions, Aizen could surely have used his new powers to utterly break this man. And yet, why? Why would Aizen want Kyoraku Shunsui to be _broken_? 

“Ah,” Starrk sighed, rubbing his eyes for a moment. “It doesn’t matter. What matters is what we have,” and what they had was a severe annoyance. “Lilynette, fetch some of my spare clothing.” It might not be appropriate to dress taichou-san in an Espada uniform, but they were roughly the same size and Lilynette would know where he’d put his things. The uniform Kyoraku was wearing was not remotely acceptable. He was nearly naked, which would have been interesting if the man had been wearing a seductive smile. Unfortunately, the drooling was about as far from that as he could get.

“Right,” Lilynette said smartly before dashing away. Starrk quietly ordered Kyoraku to stand, wondering if he would and if he didn’t, if compulsion would be effective. However, the other man moved like a zombie, coming to his feet. Starrk commanded him to walk before gently steering him to an area that contained a hose and a drain. They were still in the dungeons. The items on the walls would have given most people sweaty palms, but taichou-san did not react at all as Starrk removed the remnants of his clothing and began hosing him off. The water was icy cold and there wasn’t even a flinch. Did he even feel pain now?

“I should check that,” Starrk said with a small sigh before pinching the man unexpectedly. There was a flinch but no sound or expression. “…Hm.” Overall, Starrk considered that a failure. Shaking his head, he continued the cleaning. The hair was particularly difficult and Starrk wished he’d thought to ask Lilynette to bring more things. Although, what was taking her so long?

“Hey Starrk! I thought maybe you’d want this stuff?” Lilynette came in holding not just a spare uniform, but a towel, soap and the shampoo bottle? Starrk blinked before smiling at her.

“Thank you very much.” That was clever of her. But then, Lilynette was not stupid. He took the shampoo, pulling the blue cord out of Shunsui’s hair and wrinkling his nose at it. It was fouled with blood and something else? Tossing it aside, Starrk used the shampoo, working it into warm brown strands. Briefly he thought about asking Lilynette to help with the soaping, but then discarded the idea. It wasn’t right for a young girl to soap up a naked man.

It took quite a lot of time to get taichou-san clean. His body was caked in unmentionable fluids and Starrk wondered, queasily, if a week of torture was in fact enough to do this. Had Aizen gotten Szayel to help? Perhaps he should ask the Octava. As far as Starrk could tell, though, there were no current injuries. Although, he couldn’t be sure… Starrk hesitated a moment before taking a deep breath and kneeling behind taichou-san. Then he spread his cheeks, checking for any redness. There was nothing, to his relief, and he quickly stood up.

“Checking to see if they raped him again after? Hey, did they?” Lilynette just sounded curious and Starrk grimaced, running a hand through his hair. His zanpakuto could be a bit heartless, at times.

“No.” Thank kami. Starrk took the towel and ordered Shunsui to take it and dry himself off. He and Lilynette both watched as the man made a few desultory swipes before standing there, blank faced.

“Wow. Brain dead.” Lilynette said before picking her nose. Starrk groaned softly before taking the towel and completing the job. “Aizen WANTED him like this? He’s useless!”

“I know…” Starrk reflected glumly on the exact wording of his orders. _Take control of the Eighth Division and supervise the shinigami there. You will be responsible for all taichou duties._ At the time, Starrk had assumed that meant if Shunsui tried something, Starrk would be responsible for it. Now he was coming to a different and rather ugly conclusion. “I don’t want to be a taichou,” he said to himself. It sounded like FAR too much work. “Let’s… see what he can do.”

A bit of trial and error followed and Starrk quickly came to the conclusion that the answer was ‘not much.’ Shunsui was not able to put on a fundoshi, which, granted, was a bit complicated. If they didn’t bother with that, though, he was able to get on a hakama. Buttons were too difficult and Starrk had to finish putting on the shirt for him. Otherwise, he   
would have just left it unbuttoned, hanging off his shoulders.

“Dunno why you have those toggles and buttons inside your jackets anyhow,” Lilynette said, continuing a long running disagreement between them. She thought he should just have a zipper.

“Well, I don’t know why you like to run around half naked either,” Starrk retorted, continuing his role in the disagreement. “He’s decent, let’s go. Oh.” Something occurred to him and Starrk groaned, rubbing his face. If taichou-san couldn’t button a shirt he sure as hell couldn’t use shunpo. That was something shinigami learned, not an inborn talent. “I’ll carry him.” That was going to be so annoying. Starrk quickly heaved the man over one shoulder and carried him like a sack. Which was a very apt analogy. Taichou-san did nothing at all to help.

Then they went to the Eighth Division, pausing several times to consult the map of the Seireitei they had been given. All the plus souls and shinigami avoided them or, if they realized who he was carrying, they RAN away. Starrk couldn’t really blame them although he’d have liked to ask someone for directions.

However, by trial and error, they finally got to the Eighth. It was completely intact, to Starrk’s faint surprise. But he’d been briefed on the officers and apparently Kyoraku had left his fukutaichou behind when he’d gone to fight the Espada. That meant the command structure had been intact and the Division had surrendered without a fight. A wise decision and not one most of the other Divisions had made.

Of course, when he arrived, many people recognized the man on his shoulder. There were gasps, pointing, stares and murmurs. A few even made to stop him but Starrk put a halt to that with a hard look and a brush of his reiatsu. Walking as though he knew what he was doing, he used reiatsu sensing to find the strongest spark in the building. That had to be Ise Nanao. She was moving, though. Ah, towards him?

Starrk was right about that and he met the woman in the hallway of the Eighth, heading towards his reiatsu with a set look on her face. That look turned to horror and her violet eyes went wide as she saw the man on his shoulder.

“Shunsui!” The fukutaichou suddenly ran up to him, heedless of the danger and Starrk bit off a groan as she attempted to rouse the man on his shoulder. This really wasn’t a good place. “We need to take him to the Fourth!” Well, that wasn’t a bad idea. In fact, Starrk would do that eventually, although he didn’t expect it to do a lick of good. For now though…

“Forgive me, but I must carry out Aizen-kami’s orders. Please, where is your office?” Starrk asked politely. He was itching to put down Kyoraku on some good surface. Starrk had a very bad feeling that taichou-san was drooling down his back.

“Yeah, he’s leaving drool marks all down Starrk’s back!” Lilynette chirped. Ugh. That wasn’t really something he’d wanted confirmed. And those violet eyes were wider, if at all possible.

“P-Please right over here…” Nanao turned and glared at two shinigami who were goggling and they quickly made themselves scarce. Then she quickly brought them into a rather comfortable, spacious room. Starrk made a beeline for the couch and gently sat taichou-san down in it. He gazed at the ceiling, as vacant as a doll. Then his fukutaichou was there, cupping his face and pleading with him. “Shunsui, please say something.”

“How bad is it?” Starrk muttered to Lilynette, trying to ignore the heartrending scene in front of him. She examined the back of his uniform for a moment.

“Not too bad, a little damp, you’ll dry up in no time.” Was Lilynette’s opinion and Starrk decided to take it at face value. Shunsui was wearing his spare uniform anyway.  
“Hm,” Starrk muttered, looking back at Nanao. She’d given up on her pleas and was sobbing into taichou-san’s chest. Wonderful, his second uniform would be damp too. “Ise-fukutaichou. I am sorry to interrupt you, but I do have my orders,” Starrk said, wishing he could just leave. Nanao looked at him and the look on her face took the Espada aback. He’d rarely seen such wrath.

“Why? Why did you do this to him?” Nanao demanded and Starrk blinked at her, speechless. Lilynette, though, was more than able to talk.

“OI! What are you talking about?!? We didn’t do that to him, Aizen did!” Lilynette barked and Nanao’s rage faltered as she looked at the child arrancar. Starrk reached up, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Why would Aizen do this?” Nanao asked and the look she gave him now was full of distrust. “The two of you would have every reason,” her tone was venomous and Starrk knew she had a point. He and Lilynette had been dead for a while and it had been rather painful.

“This isn’t our style,” Starrk said, sticking his hands in his pockets. “I know you have only my word for that, but if I wanted revenge on taichou-san I would piss on his kimono.” He was a canine hollow and sometimes, he acted like it. “Lilynette would kick him in the nuts.” That was definitely her style.

“Yeah! Yeah, I would, so hard his nuts’d be up by his ears!” Lilynette cheerfully demonstrated her kicking technique and Starrk winced. “But we wouldn’t do that to him! Geez, I don’t think we even COULD! I mean, it’s not like we knew him well or anything but how do you do THAT to a guy like THAT?” Nanao’s hostility went down a bit as she looked at the unresponsive man beside her. Starrk saw her throat working as her lips moved in something like prayer.

“And I’m far too lazy. Breaking someone like this would be so much work,” Starrk couldn’t even imagine. “Unless I had Kyoka Suigetsu,” he added and Nanao looked back at him. Starrk met big, violet eyes and held them squarely. “I don’t know why Aizen-kami wanted him broken, but he was given to us in this condition.”

“Oh, Shunsui…” Nanao whispered, turning back to the man on the couch and gently touching his chest. Starrk could imagine what was going through her mind. How likely was a recovery, if kami himself had done this?

“Mmm, the orders… Ise-fukutaichou, I am now in charge of the Eighth Division. It is my duty to supervise the shinigami and ensure all taichou-work is completed,” Starrk said in a desultory tone. Why couldn’t he just be supervising taichou-san? Why did he have to do it himself? Nanao stared at him, her mouth a bit open. Trying to comprehend what was being inflicted on her? Probably.

“Yeah, so we’re going to be giving you orders!” Lilynette butted in. Starrk sighed, gazing at the ceiling. “And our first order is, get drool guy his own clothes!” Starrk blinked, looking down at her in surprise.

“That’s a good idea. I would like my uniform back and it’s not a fitting outfit for him anyway,” Starrk said as Nanao swallowed before nodding. “Fetch him some clothing, please.”  
“Y-Yes, Espada-san,” Nanao said faintly before giving Shunsui’s hand one last squeeze. Then she vanished in shunpo and Starrk wondered if he should make her call him sama? Eh, what did it matter anyway? Taking a seat at the desk, Starrk picked up a sheet.

And stared at it. Tilted it to the side. Stared at it some more.

“I don’t understand any of this,” Starrk finally said. Oh, he could read the kanji, with a lot of effort. But what WAS this? Well… he could try something else? Starrk set the page on the desk and picked up another. To his horror, it was covered in numbers. Suddenly frantic, the Espada began rifling through the papers on the desk. “I don’t understand any of this! Lilynette, this is all… garbage!” Well, it wasn’t really but Starrk had only learned to READ two months ago. He wasn’t really literate and he was expected to handle all this?!? Lilynette sniffed the air.

“Um, Starrk, I kinda hate to tell you this but I think drooly just had an accident,” Lilynette said uncomfortably and Starrk’s head whipped towards Shunsui. He couldn’t have. He wouldn’t! He… he…

He had. Starrk regarded the wet crotch and the spreading stain on the couch with absolute horror.

“I… I…” Suddenly, it was all too much. Starrk banged his head against the desk, hard, once, twice, three times. Then he gave in to his emotions and curled into a ball, allowing himself to cry. Lilynette’s voice was vague and distant, unimportant. All that mattered was his private misery.

What had they done to make kami punish them this way?


	2. Teasing Starrk is Fun!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor, poor Starrk. He doesn't deserve it, really. :D

“Well, this is great,” Lilynette surveyed the situation, scratching her belly.

It was rough sometimes, being half of the Primera. Starrk was a bit of a wuss. He was also really smart and absorbed new ideas and information like a sponge, so Lilynette was pretty sure they could do this. Once Starrk got over being all wussy about it anyway.

However, if that was going to happen she needed to do something. Then the fukutaichou showed up with clothing and that was just perfect!

“Hey, gimme that.” Lilynette grabbed the clothing and looked around. It couldn’t go on the desk, there was an ink pot there. It couldn’t go on the couch, there was a wet spot there. Okay, it’d go on this cushion, that was perfect.

“Starrk-san…?” The fukutaichou sounded scared. Well, it was kind of freakish, an Espada having a mental breakdown like this. Although Lilynette had heard rumors that Szayel had already done something similar, after seeing his new digs at the Twelfth. Not up to his standards AT ALL.

“He’s just overwhelmed, don’t worry about it,” Lilynette said casually before grabbing a wrist. “We need more stuff now. Soap, water and adult diapers.” Those big violet eyes were staring at her now and Lilynette shrugged. “Your old taichou had an accident on the couch. Oh, yeah, something to get pee out of the couch.” How did you do that, exactly? Lilynette didn’t know. “I wonder if we can steal a numero?” These shinigami had duties but some of the really weak arrancar were useless for anything but silly crap. On the other hand, did they want to trust drooly with an arrancar? Probably not.

“Oh my kami, Shunsui…” The fukutaichou sounded like she was gonna cry. Lilynette kicked her in the shin. “OW!”

“HEY! We need some function here! And bring me a big pail of ice water and a mop!” That was for Starrk. Kicking wasn’t gonna be enough to get him up and running. “Geez, I hate it when I have to be the responsible one,” Lilynette groused. Really, Starrk needed to get his crap together.

“Shouldn’t we take Shunsui to the Fourth?” The fukutaichou paused for a moment, looking at drooly. “Or I can send them a hell butterfly, if you want to keep him here.”

“Um…” Lilynette glanced at the dude on the couch. She knew what Aizen was up to, the dick, so, well… “Actually, we better keep him here, Starrk’s gonna need him.” That was the only way Starrk was going to get his duties done, by pillaging this guy’s mind. Not that it would hurt or anything, since he couldn’t fight. “So yeah, send that butterfly.” The fukutaichou nodded before calling one in and saying a bunch of stuff. Then she went to the door and started giving orders.

It didn’t take long for them to get the bucket of ice water she’d asked for. Lilynette grabbed it and before the fukutaichou could say anything, she dumped it all over Starrk.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!” Starrk’s shriek made Lilynette grin widely. It was so shrill he was probably killing the birds, pwehehehe! And he almost levitated there! “LILYNETTE WHY?!?”

“OI!” Lilynette snapped back before hitting him with the bucket. “Because you’re being a dumbass! Pull your shit together! You’re a taichou now, act like it!” Starrk’s stare was full of despair but Lilynette’s sympathy was non-existent. “And stop looking at me like that!”

“I don’t know how a taichou acts…” Starrk sniveled before she belted him with the bucket again. “OW!”

“Act like a real Espada! Act like, like… like Barragan!” Maybe that wasn’t a good idea. “Act like Aizen!” Starrk gave her a look like she was nuts. Well, god DAMN it. “Look through that guy’s memories and act like him!” She pointed at the dude on the couch and Starrk sighed, rubbing his face.

“I’ll try, I’ll try… oh kami.” Starrk sat down on the cushions again, rubbing his head as he looked at the papers again.

“Just don’t act like yourself, you freakin’ wuss,” Lilynette groused. Why was Starrk so spineless?!? “I’m done here, you deal with things,” she pronounced before stomping out of the room. Starrk could take care of stuff, Lilynette wanted to go be herself and have some fun in the gardens.

It wasn’t her job to be the responsible one!

* * *

Starrk was getting the cushions wet. He knew it but right now, he didn’t care. Sighing, he wrung a bit of water out of his hair and watched as the healers descended on taichou-san.

Actually, there was only two of them, but they were the most powerful Soul Society had to offer at the moment. The woman with silvery hair and the man with glasses. The woman with the braid was still being held at Aizen’s palace and Starrk did NOT want to know why. (his guess though: too dangerous, likely to be killed after gruesome games)

“…Complete catatonia,” was the final verdict and Starrk sighed, resting his forehead in a hand. “Espada-sama…” The silver haired woman was talking to him and she seemed very, very nervous. “Do you have any idea what could have caused this?”

“Um…” Starrk wouldn’t have said anything if it had just been Ise Nanao asking him. She wasn’t a healer. But they were and it was their job to fix things, so, well. “When he was given to us his uniform was shredded, he was covered in bodily fluids yet he was unmarked. Judging from the fluids involved, there was sexual assault,” Starrk reported and saw the woman go white. Whiter. 

“However, I’m not sure even continuous torture for a week could do this to taichou-san. Actually, you would know that better than me,” he directed that to Nanao, who was hugging herself like she was cold. “My guess? Kyoka Suigetsu was involved, along with the rest of it.” Starrk sighed heavily before waving a hand. “It is beyond my pitiful little mind.”

“But why?” The second healer, the one with the glasses, whispered. Starrk decided to treat it like a serious question.

“I have three theories. The first is that Aizen has loathed this man for a long time and this is payback,” Starrk wasn’t sure how likely that was, though. Taichou-san had seemed nice enough and Aizen wasn’t the kind of person to be passionate about anything. “Second, Aizen has decided that taichou-san is too dangerous and has decided to reduce him to a – a living library for me to use.” Starrk thought that was likely and stared at the man on the couch morosely for a moment. The shinigami were all looking horrified and a bit ill.   
“Third, this might be a mistake that Aizen-kami is now making the best of,” Starrk thought that wasn’t likely, though. If Aizen broke it, he could fix it, surely? “Do you have any treatment?” 

“There are medications available in the Living World. But they presume a – a mental illness. I don’t know how much help they’ll be,” the silver haired woman said and Starrk found he wasn’t too surprised.

“We have to try!” His new fukutaichou sounded fierce and Starrk nodded.

“Yes, we must, although Aizen surely expects it,” he said pessimistically. It was best to keep their hopes low, especially Ise fukutaichou. Starrk could already tell she was passionately attached to her old taichou. Lovers? Starrk wasn’t sure. “How long will it take you to secure the medication? And how do we care for a man in this state?” Surely just lying on the couch was not healthy.

“Um, well, in this state he can’t signal thirst or hunger. You’ll need to feed him three times a day and make sure he drinks adequate fluids.” …How much was that? Starrk gave the woman the most pitiful stare he could manage and she seemed to understand. “I’ll write down instructions for you, Espada-sama. And we can send someone to check on him regularly.”

“Oh good. Now, the diapers…?” Changing those was going to be, well, not that bad actually. Canine senses had no problem with urine and feces. In fact… Starrk sniffed at the sofa. Shinigami, male, not young but not too old, plenty of breeding going on but not currently in rut – er, actually, it didn’t work like that did it? Starrk sniffed again, curling his lip a little as he tried to get all of the aroma. Something a touch sick, not quite right? Residue but from what?

“Starrk-san? What are you doing?” Starrk lifted his head and saw Ise Nanao looking at him like he was insane.

“Nothing,” Starrk said vaguely, deciding he didn’t want to explain his olfactory capabilities. It was just so much work, all this talking. They had finished getting taichou-san into his diapers. It helped that he had ‘waxy flexibility’. They were able to position his body and Shunsui would hold the pose until he was moved again. That was something Starrk hadn’t tried and he was a bit startled to see it.

The first feeding followed and they quickly determined that if they gave Shunsui something easy, like a bread roll, he would mechanically eat it when ordered. Sushi wasn’t bad but soup was nearly a disaster and had to be spoon fed to him. Starrk wondered if he could convince Lilynette to do that. Taichou-san couldn’t handle a glass of water either and the healers handled that by getting him a… sippy cup? That was the word for it.

Nanao started to cry as they fed him with that and Starrk looked at her in alarm.

“Those… are for babies…” Her feeble explanation was enough and Starrk looked away, uncomfortable, as his new fukutaichou wiped her eyes. “I can’t believe this. Shunsui…” Such grief. Had they been lovers? Starrk didn’t want to know.

Eventually, the healers were done and furnished him with a list of requirements. Starrk glanced them over. Three meals a day, roughly five to eight cups of water. Change the diaper regularly and apply the powder to prevent any rashes. Don’t let him stay in one position too long and take him for walks every day. More instructions to follow when they acquired the medications. Starrk hoped those would help, he really did.

“I can get Lilynette to take him for walks,” Starrk said with forced optimism. That would be easy for her and he’d need time to get the work done. “Well, I… should get started.” He looked at the work helplessly again.

“And we should go. There’s many who need our attention. We’ll send someone to check up on him tomorrow,” the silver haired woman reassured Ise-fukutaichou and she sniffed and nodded. “We should have the medication in a few days.”

“Thank you,” Nanao said softly as Starrk walked over to taichou-san and put a hand on his forehead. Entering his mind was still easy as breathing, a very bad thing, but it meant 

Starrk could easily delve into his memories. Starrk was actually looking for the most boring parts and soon found recollections of endless paperwork. Grimacing to himself, he tried to understand exactly what he needed to do.

Starrk would figure this out. He had to figure this out.

It was Aizen’s command.

* * *

For the next few days after that, Starrk attempted to settle into his duties.

The shinigami did not make it too easy for him. Many of them were wary, afraid or outright hostile. They certainly did not want to acknowledge him as taichou and Starrk really didn’t know how to overcome that. He was searching Shunsui’s mind for clues but what he was finding was so alien to his personality, it was hard to use. Starrk wasn’t a charming, sociable person and he never would be.

There were a few glimmers of hope in the situation, though, and the brightest was Ise Nanao. She was willing to accept him as the lesser evil and was rather short with the shinigami who disrespected him. Starrk suspected that she was reminding them how much worse things could get if they managed to drive off the Primera. And it could get worse, oh yes it could.

Speaking of which. Starrk sighed before standing from the paperwork.

“We need to feed taichou-san early today, Lilynette.” He reminded his other half. She had just been amusing herself with some kind of game. It seemed to involve colored stones and a tube? Starrk had no idea. Sniffing, Lilynette dropped her toy.

“I know, I know, we gotta see Aizen and give a report. Don’t expect me to stay with you!” Lilynette said and Starrk sighed. He’d actually been hoping she would stay by his side, so he wouldn’t have to find her after the meeting was done. And kami only knew what appalling antics she would get up to.

“Just… don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Starrk said, giving up. The look Lilynette gave him was unimpressed and he doubted she’d stick to even that. “Whatever, let’s feed and change him.” They should get that done too, even if Shunsui hadn’t done much.

The food today was rolls, stuffed with turkey and something green, with a slathering of some kind of sauce. That was the kind of food Starrk liked for taichou-san, since he could handle it himself. They followed the rolls with a sliced up apple. Shunsui didn’t really understand the concept of apple cores anymore, so sliced up was much better. Then they finished it all with a glass of water. Starrk looked into taichou-san’s eyes for a moment and sighed. Utterly blank.

The changing went quickly enough – the diaper was only wet, not dirty – and Starrk ordered one of the lower ranked shinigami to watch Kyoraku while he and Lilynette went to the Palace. He completely missed grey eyes focusing on his back, just for a moment, before he left the room.

* * *

Lilynette hated meetings with Aizen. Starrk thought she hated them because they were boring but the truth was, she didn’t like the mind games. Lilynette especially didn’t like it when Aizen was picking on Starrk but she knew she couldn’t say anything or they’d both get in trouble. So now she was exploring the dungeons.

“Wow, Aizen’s got a great setup here,” Lilynette said approvingly as she looked over the prisoners. Hey, there was the white haired guy! Oh man, best opportunity for revenge EVER! “Hey, you!” Lilynette stalked over to her target before booting him in the rear. He was totally naked and tied down with it in just the right place for easy kickin’! “Yeah you, dork!” That meant whale penis. Best insult ever!

“Lilynette-chan, that’s not nice,” the white haired guy said but he sounded awfully weak. Lilynette’s single eye narrowed before she grinned evilly.

“You know what’s really not nice? What Aizen did to your friend!” Lilynette said with relish. The way his expression congealed was great, too! “He melted his brains! He doesn’t do anything but drool and dribble! Starrk has to change his diapers!” Not that he minded. He sniffed them sometimes, getting the full bouquet. The shinigami thought it was gross but Lilynette thought they should just be really glad Starrk wasn’t making them do it.

“Shunsui? No that… can’t…” Then the white haired guy coughed and once he coughed, he couldn’t seem to stop. Lilynette blinked as he started getting blood on the table.

“Hey, do something! He could die!” That was another prisoner, the guy with the red hair. Lilynette shrugged, unconcerned.

“If he does, Aizen will bring him back. Hardly matters,” she said before skipping out of the room. There were some other protests but she ignored them, the wussies, and went to check out some stairs. There was something interesting down there, she could smell it.

Lilynette was right too. It was the half-hollows they’d fought over Karakura town! They weren’t all in the same setup as the guys above, though and a lot of them were missing. In fact, it was just three guys down there, the yellow haired dude Starrk had fought – kinda a funny guy – the big dude with the silver hair and the guy with the weird grin. Huh, that was odd. Lilynette let herself into the room with the dude with the grin and looked around.

“You have got a lot of extra stuff in here,” Lilynette said, impressed. “I don’t even know what half of this stuff _is._ ” Seriously, there were more toys in here than she could shake a stick at! “Hmmm.” Lilynette knew all the torture toys – she had a good education, thanks to, well, half of Los Noches – but the stuff that looked sexual was interesting. “What’s this?” She asked, picking something up. The dude with the grin just watched her and, well, he wasn’t grinning much right now. Wasn’t talking either. “Hmm, some kind of harness…” The holes in it were weird.

It took a while but Lilynette puzzled it out. It was a harness you wore over your pants, but why? And there were odd holes in it with clips. It took a while but she figured out that was wear the dildo went. Still, why?

“It’s a strap on.” The guy on the table said, finally taking pity on her. Lilynette was just glad to hear an explanation. “S’for lesbians or when a girl wants to fuck a guy.”

“Oh,” Lilynette looked at it dubiously for a moment. “But what’s the girl wearing it getting out of it?” It didn’t look like much of a turn on. The guy on the table laughed, but it ended on a cough.

“See, you can put a second dildo into the bottom bit,” he supplied and Lilynette examined it more. Yeah, there was a second hole there and yeah, that made sense!

“Okay…” Looking around, though, the selection of dildos disappointed her. They were WAY too big! Lilynette knew her own body and knew she couldn’t take that. There was only one that might be okay and – “There’s no lube in here,” Lilynette complained before looking at the harness. “Huh.” Did the girls bring their own? Or just not use any? Lilynette could do that but then it’d just be an oozy mess and this guy wasn’t THAT hot. “Bleh.” Muttering, she began putting the strap-on thing away.

“You were thinking of using it, weren’t you?” the guy observed and she shrugged.

“Yeah, but there’s no lube and you’re not that hot,” Lilynette said the guy laughed, a bit painfully. “And then Starrk’d be mad.” Not that she minded making Starrk mad but she ought to get something out of it. This guy’s ass really wasn’t enough. Then Lilynette stopped as her eye went wide. “Oh YEAH! Yeah, that’s the best idea EVER!” Quickly putting on the harness, she grabbed the biggest, meanest looking dildo she could find. It had knobby bits and veins and everything!

“Uh…” the dude on the table said but Lilynette just perched on it beside him, grinning.

“Don’t worry, this ain’t for you! Oh man, this is going to be EPIC! Starrk’s gonna be so mad but it’ll be worth it!” Lilynette said happily. “If Aizen sees this he’ll be giggling his ass off!” Not literally, Aizen NEVER giggled, but he’d have that little twisted smile on his face that said “I am trying SO hard not to laugh right now.” No one really knew it, not even Starrk, but Lilynette was really good at gauging Aizen’s non-expressions. Gin had taught her a lot. “Hey, can you look over your shoulder?” It was hard to say, someone had whipped him earlier and it was all raw and stuff.

“Uh, yeah,” the guy tried it and he could see over his shoulder pretty good. “Hurts though. Why?” he asked and Lilynette giggled wickedly.

“Just do it when Starrk comes in! You don’t wanna miss this!” Lilynette said cheerfully before settling in more firmly, swinging her feet. It wouldn’t take too long for Starrk to show up.

It didn’t either and he was HORRIFIED by what was in that cell.

“Lilynette! Oh my kami what are you wearing?!?” Starrk’s gaze was on that dildo and he couldn’t seem to look away. Lilynette cheerfully explained.

“It’s a strap on! Women use it for lesbian sex or for fucking guys! This guy taught me how to use it and EVERYTHING, it was so much fun!” Starrk’s jaw kept dropping and the guy beside her was tittering, as he looked over his shoulder. “You should have heard the noises he made! Seriously Starrk, you should try this, get Halibel to wear one for ya – “ Ooooh, choking sounds, AWESOME! “Or you know I could do it for you there’s no reason why we couldn’t – “ And Starrk’s brain went POP! Lilynette could almost see it! And then his eyes rolled back up into his head and he PASSED OUT! WHUMP! Lilynette cackled as he hit the floor. He would be SO MAD when he woke up but it would be WORTH it!

“You perverted little kid! Ain’t much to be laughing about in here, but I think you made my day,” the dude beside her was actually grinning now and Lilynette hopped off the table before taking off the harness.

“Starrk’s SO fun to tease! Well, maybe I’ll see you again sometime,” Lilynette said cheerfully before grabbing Starrk’s foot and dragging him out.

She probably wouldn’t. From the looks of things in there, Aizen really didn’t like that guy which probably meant he was doomed. But hey, you never knew.


	3. Dreams of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arrancar are a bit weird. But then, we all know that. :)

_The stream was beautiful._

_A shallow little thing, water bubbled over rocks and caressed mossy banks. It looked cool and refreshing, throwing a bit of moisture into the hot summer air and making a wonderful, burbling sound._

_The child playing on the banks of the river was having the time of his life. He was giggling happily, dipping his feet in the water and kicking around the droplets. He slipped and almost fell but then just pulled himself up, to begin playing again._

_Then there was a different splash and he looked up, startled, as another boy smiled at him._

_“Hello! I’m Kyoraku Shunsui. Who are you?” the other boy said and the first boy stuck a thumb in his mouth before remembering that was what babies did and he wasn’t a baby. His mother had told him so._

_“Coyote Starrk,” he said shyly and the first boy smiled again. He had a nice smile._

_“Will you play with me, Starrk?” Shunsui sounded so lonely. Starrk’s heart melted a little. He’d been lonely a lot too, when he’d been sick and his momma and poppa had needed to work._

_“Sure!” And then Shunsui kicked off his shoes and joined Starrk in the river. Soon they were splashing and giggling in the heat of a summer day…_

* * *

Starrk woke up slowly, wondering what he’d been dreaming. Something about playing in a stream? Starrk frowned, staring at the ceiling as he thought. He was sure there had been something important about that dream but the more he tried to grasp it, the more it eeled away.

Finally giving up, Starrk sat up and stretched. He was sleeping on a cushion in his – Shunsui’s? – office. Technically, Starrk could have claimed a home from one of the defunct noble houses but he didn’t see the point. It wasn’t like he needed much. Just the occasional shower and a place to change. There were bathing facilities at the Eighth and he changed in the office.

Starrk sighed before pulling himself off the floor and shuffling to look down at taichou-san. His place was on the couch and he had no complaints. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be asleep. Starrk sniffed the air and picked up no scent of bodily waste. Leaving the man behind, Starrk went to the desk and stared at the papers there morosely. At least he had Nanao. Responding to his pleas, she’d given the pile some rational order and even categorized them into piles of ‘do immediately,’ ‘do soon’ and ‘can wait a bit’.

The pile of ‘do immediately’ was smaller than it had been yesterday and Starrk settled back in to get to work.

“I hate you, you know,” Starrk said to the slumbering taichou on the couch. He’d realized after taking over that Shunsui was a chronic procrastinator and that was part of why the desk was such a mess. Starrk only wished he could procrastinate. Healthy dread of Aizen kept his mind on his task.

Sighing, he played with his quill for a moment before picking up a report and reading it with grim determination. Halfway through, he had to pause and retrieve the book Nanao had given him. Flipping through, he isolated the kanji he wanted and read the meaning. Then he put the dictionary away before going back to the report.

When the paperwork became too much, though, Starrk had to take a break. He went for a walk in the Division, his hands in his pockets. As he walked, Starrk was all too aware of the sidelong glances and whispers. The shinigami thought he couldn’t hear them and Starrk only wished he could close his ears. Unfortunately, little snippets attracted his attention.

_What he did… Kyoraku taichou…_ Were they blaming him for that? Probably.

_Monster…_ Well, they all were, but the tone bothered him. So angry.

_…thinks he can lead us…_ Starrk winced internally at the contempt. Speeding his steps, he went to the grounds of the Division. Maybe Lilynette would be there, playing in the trees. Watching his other half would cheer him up.

She wasn’t, though, and Starrk found himself staring morosely at winter-dead trees. As he looked at the barren branches, depression settled over him. He needed to be a leader, but how? Among adjuchas it was so easy. Fear and respect were nearly the same thing, he could just inspire a lot of fear and be fine. But Starrk had never been very good at that, despite his power, and for shinigami fear and respect were not the same thing. Vasto lorde were like that too… Halibel had feared Barragan, but respected him? No, not really. 

“Hey, Starrk!” Hm? Starrk turned to see Nnoitra striding towards him, a broad grin on his face. “You got a minute?”

“Mmm, I suppose,” Starrk said cautiously. He was sure it would take longer than a minute. Nnoitra could be annoyingly talkative and what did he want, anyway? The Quinta swung that odd looking weapon of his as he talked.

“So I was thinking. You know about holidays, right?” Nnoitra asked and Starrk nodded. He knew they were special days that the shinigami used to commemorate things and he’d already inferred that they made a good excuse to dodge out of work. “I think the day Aizen ascended should be a new holiday!” …Hm.

“Not a bad idea, but the shinigami already have a Soul King’s day,” Starrk said, sticking his hands in his pockets. Nnoitra waved that away.

“Yeah, but that was for the old ones. Aizen’s immortal so he should have his own day, right?” Well, alright, the logic wasn’t too bad. “Can you mention it in the next meeting for me?” Starrk immediately smelled a rat.

“Why me? What have you done?” He asked suspiciously and Nnoitra almost pouted. It was disconcerting.

“Oh, I talked to Tousen about it and he told me to shut the fuck up and go away,” Nnoitra said and Starrk frowned. The whole train of logic so far wasn’t offensive and for Tousen to react so strongly meant Nnoitra had said SOMETHING offensive. “Maybe if you bring it up at the meeting it’ll go better.” …Really.

“Nnoitra, how did you suggest celebrating this new festival day?” Starrk asked mildly and caught the way Nnoitra glanced to the side just for a split second. “Nnoitra!”

“Oh, uh, well. It’d be in the winter and people need cheering up right? We should make it a sex festival!” Nnoitra said with a toothy grin and Starrk stared at him in utter disbelief. “It’d be awesome!”

“Nnoitra, what on earth? How do Aizen and sexual festival make sense in any way?” Starrk demanded. True, Aizen was attractive but he honestly didn’t seem that interested in sex and he DEFINITELY never made a public spectacle of it. “You just want an excuse for an orgy!” That was clearly where they were going with this. 

“Who doesn’t want an excuse for an orgy?” Nnoitra asked and Starrk sighed, rubbing his forehead. Orgies really weren’t to his taste. He preferred a single female, in heat and willingly offering her – “You can join me and Tesra, we should have our bitches broken in by then.” …!

“Nnoitra, would you agree that this place is my den?” Starrk said with deceptive mildness. Nnoitra looked a little confused but nodded. “Get out of my territory!” Starrk flared his reiatsu before snarling at the other hollow. The Quinta’s eyes widened a bit, although he wasn’t terribly intimidated.

“Jeez Starrk, it was just an idea, don’t get a stick up your butt. I’ll go,” Nnoitra left then, swaggering as he went and Starrk sighed to himself. Why wasn’t he better at inspiring fear? Barragan could have done it so much better. Shaking his head, he went back into the Division, going to the office.

When he got there, Shunsui was awake and staring at the ceiling. Starrk gently sat him up before fetching a cup of water.

“It’s time for your pills, taichou-san,” Starrk said gently before putting the pills into Shunsui’s mouth. Then he raised the cup of water to his lips and helped him swallow them down. The pills were actually having a noticeable effect. The drooling had stopped, which meant Shunsui was swallowing more regularly. Also, Shunsui was showing more of a reaction when he was pinched. It wasn’t much but it was something.

Then the door opened and Starrk looked up as Nanao walked into the room. She was carrying a tray of food from the cantina.

“Ah, thank you,” Starrk would have needed to get that soon. Nanao looked a touch tired and Starrk wondered what she’d been up to. Well, why not ask? “What have you been doing?” It was quite early but Nanao rose with the sun.

“Kido drills,” Nanao answered before setting the tray on the table. Then she began feeding Shunsui, her face slightly pinched as she did. Starrk could tell this caused her pain but she was determined to do it. The foods she’d picked had been well selected… hard boiled eggs, sliced ham and toast. It was all easy to pick up and unlikely to spill.

Starrk went back to the desk, his shoulders slumping again as he looked at the work. Then he sighed and sat on the cushion before picking up the quill pen. Aizen wanted to do an audit, too. Why was life so hard?

Halfway through another form, Starrk looked up in surprise as he heard cloth against cloth and smelled bodily waste.

“Nanao, you don’t have to do that,” Starrk said firmly before rising from his seat. He thought it was more practical for him to handle Shunsui’s changing sessions. He was stronger, he could easily lift the man and the scent did not bother him at all. Nanao shook her head, ignoring him as she began cleaning off taichou-san.

“I want to do this,” Nanao said firmly and Starrk paused. There was something odd in her tone, something he couldn’t begin to name. Examining her face, Starrk took in her fixed determination and reluctantly decided he would not be able to persuade her otherwise. Walking up beside her, he gently rested a hand on her shoulder before giving Nanao a comforting squeeze.

“Allow me to help you. I am stronger, it will be easier on you both,” Starrk offered and saw Nanao hesitate. Then she nodded with a small sigh and Starrk began to assist, gently lifting taichou-san when she required it. As they tended to the task, Starrk had to wonder. Had Nanao and Shunsui been lovers?

He wasn’t going to ask, nor would he search through taichou-san’s mind for those memories, so he might never know.

* * *

Yumichika knew he was better off right now than a lot of people.

It was still a bit difficult to swallow, though. Until the others had been brought back from the dead, he’d been at the mercy of Barragan’s surviving fraccion. That had been exceedingly unpleasant and had rendered him very unlovely for a few days. Then, when that hideous creature Charlotte was returned, the ugly thing had taken over his bond to take him as a personal servant!

It was horrible, having to lay eyes on that thing constantly, but Yumichika was aware of the positives. The first was that Charlotte preferred the ladies. He wasn’t entirely safe from the rest of the fraccion, but as long as he wasn’t stupid Yumichika could mostly avoid trouble. (unlike Kira and Omaeda) Still, the arrancar was just so… so _ugly!_

“What are we waiting for, Charlotte-sama?” Yumichiki asked, wishing he didn’t have to add the sama. Unfortunately, it was a compulsion to ‘show respect’ to all of Barragan’s fraccion and not worth fighting. Charlotte adjusted himself a little against the wall. They were loitering near what was left of the Sixth Division.

“Oh, just waiting for something lovely!” Yumichika doubted that. “A darling little sweet who’s working on cleaning up the Rukongai, she should be coming right this way from the East gate.” That did make some sense, the direction would be perfect. “And I think – oh! How interesting!” What was? Yumichiki followed Charlotte’s gaze to see a rather lanky, rumpled man – no, arrancar, shuffling down the street. His clothing was badly wrinkled, like he’d just fallen out of bed. Yumichiki eyed him with a professional gaze and decided that while the arrancar was reasonably attractive he could be much better with a good bath and possibly a flea collar. Also, it would help if he opened his eyes. He looked nearly dead on his feet.

“Primera-chan!” Charlotte was suddenly leaving his side and Yumichika blinked as his ‘master’ stopped the other arrancar by standing in front of him. The arrancar – wait, Primera? That was an Espada? – came to a halt with a weary, resigned expression. “Darling, you look awful! What have you been doing with your hair?”

“Nothing, Charlotte, just like last time,” Primera-chan – Yumichika couldn’t remember his name – said with a sigh. “What do you want?”

“Oh, I want to make you beautiful! You could be gorgeous! Yumichika, do you have any ideas?” Charlotte asked and Yumichika glanced over the Primera again. Well…

“Something more form fitting would be good. And I think autumn colors would really flatter your complexion,” Yumichika said to Primera-chan as the arrancar in front of them swayed, his expression falling somewhere between exhaustion and disbelief. “Something in a dark red, perhaps. A wine color?”

“Oh, that would be amazing!” Charlotte clapped his hands together, delighted. “And perhaps some feathers for his hair? A clip?” The arrancar suggested slyly and Yumichika was tempted to give him a dirty look, but that would involve, well, looking at him. And actually that suggestion was VERY appealing. Primera-chan ran a hand over his face before suddenly opening his eyes wide and grabbing Charlotte’s shoulders with a wide smile.

“YES! Take me, make me beautiful! Give me a manicure, paint my nails pink and put feathers in my hair!” Pink? Yumichika hadn’t said anything about pink and that would look hideous with – “And while you’re at it, explain to Tosen why I’m missing my meeting with him!” …

“Oh. Ahaha. You should go!” Charlotte suddenly couldn’t get away from Primera-chan fast enough and the other arrancar sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“I really would rather have a manicure with pink nail polish…” Yes, Yumichika could understand that completely. Fortunately, Primera-chan shuffled off and Charlotte wiped a bit of nervous sweat off his forehead at the near escape. However, nothing could keep him down for long and just as Primera-chan was vanishing, a slender, gorgeous little arrancar trotted by.

“Celeste! Darling! How are you today?” Charlotte intercepted her and Yumichika had to endure the sight of the young woman giggling and running a hand over the creature’s abdominals before dipping her fingers into his pubic hair. He hastily looked away at that, feeling an upswelling of nausea. One of the things he hated the most about Charlotte was how damned LUCKY the creature was with women. Against his will, Yumichika recalled Charlotte’s words on the subject.

_You might not think so, Yumi-san, but our ladies think my cock is a thing of beauty!_

The thought made him throw up a little in his mouth, but Yumichiki had to admit that Charlotte seemed to have more action than the rest of Barragan’s fraccion put together. (unless you counted what was happening to Kira) Sighing inside, Yumichika looked away from some very public petting. It didn’t help that this arrancar female actually was quite lovely. Honestly, what did she SEE in him?

Firmly, Yumichika reminded himself that he was lucky to be Charlotte’s ‘servant.’ Lucky.

If he reminded himself of that long enough, he might even start to believe it.

* * *

Lilynette was just wandering around the Division, looking for opportunities to cause trouble, when she heard two of the shinigami talking, a man and a woman.

“…Are you sure about this, Tadaki?” The woman said and Lilynette eavesdropped shamelessly. They hadn’t spotted her yet and this sounded kinda interesting.

“We need more shikai, Mikako,” the man said and Lilynette grimaced, rubbing her nose. That was true. All the really basic shinigami had been given back their swords but anyone with shikai didn’t have theirs yet. Aizen was getting them to go to the Palace to ‘swear loyalty’. Lilynette had a damned good idea what that meant. Sex toys, pwehehe… eh, most of them probably weren’t using those, the wussies. “And I’m sure it’s not that bad.” Pwa-WHA? “I know Aizen is a, a traitor but he was always very nice as a taichou – “ OH FUCK NO!

“Oh my god are you serious?!?” Lilynette couldn’t help but butt in and the two shinigami turned to look at her all surprised. “Aizen scares the shit out of hollows! He made Barragan cry once!” Okay, it had just been a tiny bit of tearing up and Barragan had kept his expression like a stone as he blinked but Lilynette had seen it and she’d asked Gin after and he’d seen it too so that meant it _had happened._ “He made Starrk cry more than once!” Although Starrk was a wuss so Lilynette wasn’t sure that counted. Still, he was a vasto lorde and about a thousand times stronger than these two idiots! “Aizen’s a demon dipped in nicey-poo and oh my god don’t be DUMB!”

“Err…” the guy said, looking kinda overwhelmed. The woman, though, was way smarter.

“Do you know what ‘swearing loyalty’ entails, Lilynette-sama?” she asked and Lilynette paused. She wasn’t dumb. Actually, Lilynette knew she was the exact opposite of dumb… Szayel had run IQ tests on everyone and she and Starrk came out EXACTLY the same. That had surprised everyone and given Gin the idea of teaching her interesting stuff. So, well, Lilynette knew better than to blab. Sure, no one had TOLD her to shut it but she wasn’t dumb and Aizen knew she wasn’t dumb so, yeah, EW.

“Sorry, can’t tell you, I like my bits where they are,” Lilynette finally said before giving them a really serious look. “Look, don’t go there. Wait for Nanao to get super frustrated and make Starrk super frustrated and then he’ll go to the hill with a list of people he thinks are okay,” Lilynette knew that was going to happen. She’d eavesdropped on Nanao and knew she was already considering it. Nanao just didn’t want to move too fast, which was smart. “Then he can get your swords back and you won’t have to swear anything except maybe a personal oath to Starrk.”

“How can we trust you?” the man said and Lilynette gave him a glower. “You’re a hollow!” Okay, that just didn’t make any sense AT ALL.

“Aizen is our LEADER, what’re you…” Lilynette stopped as it occurred to her that she shouldn’t really give a rat’s ass about this guy. “On second thought, you should totally go to the palace! Aizen can show you the toy collection! All the rubber snakes and sweet l’il rabbits and how it’s all sunshine and sparklies!” Hey, blood sparkled if the light was bright! She knew that from Szayel! “And you can have SO MUCH FUN!” Lilynette gave him her best Gin smile and the guy actually took a step back. Pwehehe, he looked more horrified than Starrk the first time she’d pulled it out on him!

“Uh, uh uh…” That was some nice stuttering! Then something had to ruin it.

“Lilynette, what is going on here?” Starrk’s drawl made her pout. She’d been having fun terrorizing that guy! And the woman was looking kind of freaked out too. 

“Oh, we were just talking about how nice Aizen is,” Lilynette said, just to see the look on his face. Starrk’s look of total disbelief wasn’t bad.

“Compared to what? A plague of vipers?” Starrk asked and Lilynette giggled wickedly. “What idiot would say such a thing?”

“I just meant he used to be!” The guy burst out and Starrk looked at him. “I mean, he acted like it when he was a taichou!”

“Ah. Shinigami-san, you must remember. That was an act,” Starrk said gently and Lilynette sighed. Fun time was over. “He might still wear that mask if the occasion requires it, but he will take it off any time he wishes. And what lies beneath is something that hollows fear.”

“How do you know he isn’t wearing another mask for you hollows?” The woman asked and that was pretty good. Starrk was up for it, though.

“Oh, he does. Aizen has little use for large thrones or ridiculously imposing architecture. Those were for the adjuchas,” Starrk said and the woman was listening intently. The guy was just still really freaked out, pwehehe. “However, I believe that what he has shown us is close to his true self. And we are afraid. We are all afraid,” Starrk said it really well, all concerned and grave and stuff.

“You would say that about him?!?” the guy said and Lilynette wrinkled her nose at him. What was wrong with that? Starrk blinked blankly for a moment before he seemed to get something.

“For a powerful hollow to say he fears another hollow is a compliment, shinigami-san. Aizen-kami would understand that I am giving him the highest compliment I can.” Ahhhh. Right, for shinigami being feared wasn’t always a good thing. Sort of mixed? “But do the two of you not have some work you should be doing?” Starrk said it all nice but they got the message and bugged out. “Now, Lilynette, I need you. Can you take taichou-san for his walk?”

“Huh? Oh sure!” Was it that time already? Starrk smiled at her and they went back to the office, Lilynette skipping ahead. “Okay drooly, it’s time for a walk!” She chirped as she walked in and Nanao looked up from her work, giving her a pained look. She didn’t like the whole drooly thing. “Hey, you don’t drool so much anymore, maybe you need a new nickname!” Lilynette said to drooly before pulling him to his feet. He was easy to tug along when he got stuck.

“You could call him by his name,” Nanao said stiffly and Lilynette sniffed at her as Starrk sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“What’s the fun in that? Well, we’ll be back in a bit!” Lilynette took drooly’s hand and pulled him out the door. Tugging him along was the easiest way to do it. She’d take him on a good walk around the Division before bringing him back.

It was her job and kind of fun, so Lilynette didn’t mind.


	4. What the Future Holds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starrk is sexually frustrated. Very sexually frustrated.

_Starrk shivered slightly as the wind blew. The leaves were falling from the trees and he was getting cold. What could he do though?_

_Over the summer he’d played with Shunsui and explored the woods around him. It was huge! There were great big trees and so many rocks to climb. Also lots of berries and things and fish in the stream. Starrk was very good at catching fish. Not so good at cooking them but that was okay because Shunsui said it was fine to eat fish raw. Shunsui brought him rice balls all the time, too, and that was nice._

_There was a great big house too and Starrk had wanted to sleep there but Shunsui said he couldn’t. Shunsui said that he was a ‘wandering soul’ – Starrk wasn’t sure what that meant, exactly, because Shunsui wasn’t sure either – and if the adults found him they would make him leave. Shunsui didn’t want that and Starrk didn’t either. He really liked the other boy._

_There were also great big walls with ivy on them. Starrk had climbed up one, once, and looked over the side to see lots of houses and things. There was no ivy on the other side though and Starrk could tell that trying to climb down would be too dangerous. So inside the walls he stayed and for summer, that had been fine._

_It was fall now though and Starrk shivered before sneezing. He was cold and hungry. There were no berries now and the water was cold. Still, he could fish! Kicking off his shoes he waded into the stream and started looking for fish. Even little ones were good, he swallowed those whole._

_“Starrk?” Oh! That distracted him and he left the river, climbing onto the bank and pulling on his shoes as Shunsui appeared. He was carrying a bundle of cloth? “Hey! I brought you something!” Starrk blinked in bewilderment, then brightened as Shunsui unfurled the cloth._

_“Thank you!” It was clothes! Kind of weird ones like all the things Shunsui wore, but they looked warm, not like his summer clothes._

_“And I have rice balls… um, are you okay?” Shunsui sounded really worried and Starrk hesitated before smiling at him._

_“I’m fine!” Sure, he was cold and hungry but it wasn’t the first time. “I miss my mother sometimes though,” Starrk admitted before putting on the clothing, over his current things. Oh, that was better already! Shunsui looked really sad._

_“I miss my mother too. I wish you could come live with me but I asked Yama-jii about wandering souls. He said they’re vicious and uncivilized and live in the Rukongai,” Shunsui said unhappily and Starrk blinked. “I asked him what we would do if there was one on the manor grounds and he said not to worry, they wouldn’t let it hurt me and they would send it to the Rukongai… I don’t think he thought I meant a kid though,” Shunsui’s voice had dropped a lot and Starrk looked at him worriedly._

_“You don’t think I’m vicious and uncivilized, right?” Starrk asked tentatively and Shunsui shook his head._

_“No, you’re my best friend!” That made Starrk smile a lot. “Here, have some rice balls!” He took the food and ate it, feeling the hunger ease. Rice balls tasted so good! “Would you like to play on the rocks today?”_

_“Sure!” They ran up and down the rocks all day although they had to keep an eye out for adults. When someone came for Shunsui, Starrk had to hide. He’d managed it so far.  
He really didn’t want to be taken away from his only friend._

* * *

Starrk preferred to completely ignore what was happening outside his own Division. However, some of it couldn’t help but impact him.

The first thing to cross his desk that was interesting was a list of names. Tosen gave them to him, telling him to memorize them and the notes, then burn the paper. Starrk could see why. It was a list of shinigami traitors, those who owed their full loyalty to Aizen. Starrk was fascinated to see that kami had quite a little spy network, small but well placed. The list included their positions in the shinigami forces and Starrk was interested to note that none of them had belonged to the Eighth. Had Aizen not dared to try to suborn one of Kyoraku’s subordinates?

“If only you hadn’t been quite so dangerous,” Starrk said sadly to the man on the couch. “Hm.” It was about that time. Leaving aside his paperwork, he put his hands in his pockets before venturing to the mess hall. The shinigami there were well-versed in taichou-san’s needs and provided him with a plate of easy to handle food. Then he went back to the office. Nanao was out today, leading the troops to purify more hollows.

Hollows were another problem. Something was attracting menos grande to the Seireitei all of a sudden and it made no sense to Starrk. Theoretically, the presence of powerful hollows should be warning them away. It was almost like something was drawing them in. But why would Aizen-kami want that?

Starrk decided thinking about the reasons behind it was pointless. What mattered to him were the day to day consequences. Only a few of the shikai wielding shinigami had their swords back and that was becoming unacceptable. Nanao was managing using skillful kido and basic swords, but they’d already had a few fatalities and quite a lot of people sent to the Fourth. Yet Starrk could not, in good conscience, urge more of the shinigami to go pledge their loyalty. Maybe he could go out and eat some of the menos? Starrk knew Tosen didn’t want them to do that but it was starting to look practical.

Starrk finished feeding and changing taichou-san before sniffing him a bit. Healthy scent, no edge of sickness or taint. The problem was entirely mental it seemed. Although… Starrk rubbed his nose before sniffing again. There was another odor in the room, something odd. A bitch in heat? No, not quite but similar –

Then he was distracted by Nanao entering the room with an armload of papers.

“Oh kami. The audit?” Starrk groaned and she nodded, looking extremely tired. “Why does he do this now, when menos are breathing down our necks?!?” Starrk wondered if Tosen was deliberately running the Divisions ragged so he could keep them out of his hair while he completed his reorganization of Soul Society. Some of the noble clans had escaped his purges and he was in the middle of hunting down the dangerous ones. 

“To keep us out of the way while he ‘cleans up’ Soul Society,” Nanao said and Starrk blinked. That sounded like a quote. “And while he knows you don’t need to be ‘kept out of the way’ the Division as a whole could be dangerous to his plans.” …

“I hate your taichou. This is all his fault. Was he a spymaster? Secret assassin?” Starrk grumbled as he took the papers. He wasn’t entirely sure what Shunsui’s place had been but it had been something dark and dangerous, Starrk was sure of it. Also very well-concealed, but Aizen had known. Nanao shook her head.

“It doesn’t matter now.” Starrk only wished he could agree with that.

“It does matter in the sense that we are under suspicion and need to remain above reproach if we don’t want the Division to be purged,” Starrk replied and wished he hadn’t, as Nanao paled. “I’m sorry, but it’s the truth,” he said in a gentler tone and watched as Nanao looked away, swallowing.

“I know… you’re right, Shunsui had an unofficial and very secretive spy network,” Nanao said quietly and Starrk wasn’t too surprised. “It’s leaderless now, except for me, and I wasn’t… I knew about it but I’m not good at things like that.” She stared at the papers for a moment with a depressed air. Starrk reached up to rub his forehead.

“I’m not either. We need to let it go moribund.” Was that the right word? Whatever. “Hopefully we can get past it without any more deaths or disabilities. Anyway, the budget…” Soon they were going over the paperwork and Starrk was considering stabbing himself through the eyeball with a pen. Why was he being tortured like this? Oh, yes, Aizen liked to see him scurry and Tosen was completely indifferent. At least Lilynette wasn’t there to mock him. What was she up to, anyway? Actually, Starrk didn’t care.

His other half could do anything short of setting the building on fire. He was busy.

* * *

_Living in the woods in the winter was way harder than the summer._

_Starrk sniffled quietly as he waited for Shunsui by the river. He was awfully cold, but he was always cold. There was snow everywhere and it was really thick. Shunsui had gotten him some good socks but not any boots and his feet were cold._

_When Shunsui got there, though, Starrk forgot about being cold. It was time to play! They ran up and down the banks of the stream, laughing and trying to catch each other.  
Starrk didn’t have shoes though and his feet slipped on the stones. He felt a short moment of alarm and heard Shunsui’s cry before he fell – _

* * *

Starrk jolted awake, blinking rapidly before reaching up to rub his head. He’d had a dream about… something… and he’d hurt himself? Well, he’d dreamed about falling before, it was similar.

“STARRK!” AUGH! Lilynette landed on his belly before blinking at him. “Oh, you’re already awake?” Starrk groaned, letting his head fall back.

“Yes, Lilynette… what is it?” He said, just enjoying the feel of his cushion. The office had a nice little nest for him, now. It didn’t take up much space. Lilynette sniffed before jumping off him.

“Aizen sent a reply, he had Ulquiorra hand deliver it!” Oh really? Lilynette stuck a scroll in his face and Starrk’s eyes crossed for a moment as he focused on it. Then he reached out and rescued the paper from his other half.

“Fancy,” Starrk muttered as he glanced over the scroll. It had been sealed in wax with a rather beautiful symbol and was clearly a formal document. “We’ll have to keep this.” He was willing to bet Aizen had done this to create a paper trail, so to speak. Starrk sighed before breaking the seal and perusing the contents of the message. “…Hrmph.” It was about what he’d expected. Aizen would allow him to vouch for his shinigami minions, but only on certain terms. “Ergh,” Starrk muttered as he read over those terms.

“What? Did he say he’d pull all your pubes out with pliers if anyone does anything?” Lilynette asked brightly and Starrk fixed her with a hard stare. “What? Is it rabbits?”

“Rabbits?” Actually, he didn’t want to know. “Here, you can read it,” he said before passing over the scroll. Lilynette scowled at it. “The good part is down here.” Starrk pointed at the paper. Lilynette couldn’t read well either and hadn’t been practicing much. Hmm, perhaps he should see if Nanao could recommend some books that wouldn’t bore her. Lilynette perused it intently, her face screwing up in a few places.

“…Well, nothing we haven’t seen before. Although, I think you’ve only experienced half of this stuff,” Lilynette finally said and Starrk winced at the reminder. “D’you think we should?” Starrk met Lilynette’s single eye, struck by the concern there. But then, the penalties did go up to death.

“I think we have to. And while he might not have included her, I think we can assume that Nanao’s death would quickly follow mine,” Starrk said quietly and Lilynette frowned.

“Aizen might just have someone put a yoke on her. But yeah, maybe not, if we totally flame out,” Lilynette said after a moment and Starrk sighed, running a hand over his face. “Well, tell her to get it on then!”

“Right.” Starrk rescued the paper before thinking of something. “Does taichou-san need a change?” A quick check told him the answer was no. “Lilynette, can you take him on a walk?” He’d just been taking a mid-day nap, recharging for more of the audit.

“Oh sure. C’mon boring!” Her new nickname for taichou-san. Starrk smiled as he watched them go, the little girl skipping as she tugged Shunsui along.

Nanao wasn’t in the Division at all, but Starrk got a shinigami to send her a hell butterfly advising that a reply had been received and she should return at the earliest possible time. A quick acknowledgement returned and Starrk went back to work, confident that Nanao would return soon.

She was back within the hour and Starrk noticed an odd scent again. But his attention was quickly distracted from it as Nanao read the scroll, her lips tight.

“Do you still wish to continue, Starrk-san?” Nanao asked softly, looking at him gravely. Starrk sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Can things continue the way they are?” Starrk countered and the way Nanao looked at the ground was enough of an answer. “I’m willing to do this. You have a list of names?” He was sure she did. Nanao nodded and pulled out not one, but two lists.

“These are the ones I think we can trust completely. They’re intelligent and loyal to the Division,” Nanao said and Starrk took the list, glancing it over. Only eight names, that wasn’t much. “These are a bit more dubious… if the terms had been more lenient I would suggest them. But since they’re not…”

“Right.” Even eight shikai would help. Starrk glanced over the second list before handing it back. “Keep that for the future, unless some of them go to swear loyalty.” Starrk was wearily certain that a few would take the plunge, after seeing their comrades using their shikai. How many would return? At first it had only been half but it was more now, likely because the shinigami knew there was something unpleasant at the palace and the penalty for failure was death. Still, not everyone came back. From the pinched look on Nanao’s face, she was thinking the same.

“I’ll arrange things,” Nanao promised before leaving the room. Starrk sniffed before going to tend to taichou-san’s needs. He’d soiled his diaper again. As he changed the man, Starrk noticed Shunsui’s eyes briefly focusing on him. That was happening more often, lately. A quick check revealed a bit of murky brain function but nothing that could really be called a thought.

“Still an improvement,” Starrk muttered to himself. That Shunsui had any mental function at all was encouraging. It was likely the medication, working a tiny bit of magic. Nanao came back in as he was straightening taichou-san’s clothing.

“I have them gathered in one of the meeting rooms,” Nanao said and Starrk nodded. He quickly summoned Lilynette – she was just playing in the Division grounds – and left her to watch over Shunsui as he went to talk to the shinigami. He wasn’t any good at speeches but Starrk knew he had to try.

“I, mm, am very bad at speeches,” Starrk said tiredly as eight shinigami looked at him attentively. To his mild amusement, seven of the eight were women. But he’d noticed the Eighth Division did seem to have quite a few females. “I have secured Aizen-sama’s permission to return the shikai of shinigami who swear loyalty to me, personally.” And from him, to Aizen. “However, there are terms. Nanao?” Starrk glanced at her and she nodded, taking a deep breath before explaining.

“Starrk-san will be taking responsibility for your actions…” Nanao quickly ran through the possible punishments Starrk could face, skipping over a few of the worst bits. There were still winces in the audience. “And I want you to remember that our Division depends on Starrk-san’s existence. We must do nothing to jeopardize that.” There were nods and Starrk noticed the feeling of solidarity in the room. He was sure Nanao had picked these shinigami because of their loyalty to the Division as a whole.

“You are all agreed?” Starrk asked and there were murmurs and nods. “Then I will fetch your shikai and when I return, take your formal vows. Please wait, it won’t be long.” The zanpakuto were all nicely stored at the palace, by name and alphabeticalized. 

Starrk left the Division and jumped into sonido. As expected, one of the Exequias was waiting for him, along with several other clones. They took his piece of paper and went to fetch the needed shikai. It wasn’t really long before they came back, all the swords nicely arranged in a small cart. Starrk picked up the whole thing – it was easier to handle than eight loose weapons – and jumped back into sonido, going back to the Division. Soon he was accepting solemn vows of loyalty and Starrk vaguely wondered how much they meant. Hollows did not take such things seriously but shinigami were different.

It didn’t really matter though. What mattered was loyalty to their comrades. Starrk felt relatively secure as he went back to work on the audit.

They might be willing to betray him, but the shinigami would never throw the Division to the wolves.

* * *

_He wasn’t cold and his head hurt._

_Starrk whimpered softly at the pounding pain as he opened his eyes. He saw a ceiling? Was his mommy here? He really wanted his mom…_

_“Mommy?” Starrk said before remembering. She wasn’t here, he’d died and gone away… “Shunsui?” Where was he? Then someone came in and Starrk blinked as a nice woman smiled at him._

_“Oh, you’re awake! Would you like something to drink?” Starrk nodded but he was feeling really worried. Was he in the place Shunsui lived? Would they make him go away because he was a lost soul?_

_“Starrk!” Shunsui ran in as the woman was leaving and almost hit her. But he got by and hugged Starrk instead. Starrk blinked, feeling sort of sick as he was moved around. His head really hurt. “You’re awake! We were really worried! And Yama-jii says you can stay!”_

_“I can stay?” Starrk wanted that more than anything! He was so tired of being cold. Shunsui grinned widely._

_“Yes! Yama-jii says you’re not really a wandering soul because wandering souls don’t eat,” he said and Starrk was surprised. Not eat? “And he said he meant adults not babies and you’re a baby so you can stay.”_

_“Hey! I’m not a baby,” Starrk said, a touch sulky. He was getting bigger, he wasn’t a baby. Shunsui giggled and Starrk smiled, even though his head still hurt. He was going to be warm and have real food and keep Shunsui as a friend. That was amazing!_

_“Starrk, I really want to give you something,” Shunsui said and Starrk looked at him curiously… then blinked as his friend kissed him on the forehead? Then he pulled back with a big smile._

_“Ewww!” Starrk wiped it off and scowled at him. Shunsui just smiled more. “You’re gross…” Then the woman came in with water and food and Starrk REALLY wanted the food. He ignored Shunsui as he laughed, taking a big drink of water._

_He could stay. Everything was good now._

* * *

For the first time, Starrk woke up clearly remembering his dream.

He stared at the ceiling, remembering… he’d been a child? And he’d been kissed on the forehead by his best friend. Shunsui? Starrk puzzled about the dream before deciding he clearly had a very active imagination. Although he’d never had a dream like that before.

Then a quiet sobbing banished any thought of the dream. Starrk looked over to see Nanao kneeling beside the couch. She was hugging taichou-san, her face resting against his chest.

“Please come back to me, please,” oh kami. “Shunsui I love you, I need you, I would do anything to make you better please come back please…” Starrk flinched a little at the anguish in her voice. They were lovers, he knew it, they had to be –

Then Starrk blinked as that scent filled his nose again. Kami, it was strong now, and so close! Attempting not to distract Nanao from her painful grief, he sniffed the air. What WAS that? It wasn’t a bitch in heat, it gave him no feeling of desire, but it did stir primal instincts. A feeling that he needed to… protect…?

Starrk’s eyes went wide as he finally understood what his nose was telling him. Sitting up from his cushion he sniffed again, attempting to find the female. He didn’t have to go far, though. To Starrk’s shock, that tantalizing aroma was wafting from Nanao.

“Nanao?” Starrk said and she lifted her head from Shunsui’s chest. Her violet eyes were full of tears as she turned her head to look at him. “You are pregnant.” Starrk was absolutely certain. Nanao’s eyes widened for a moment before she suddenly dissolved into violent sobs. “Nanao?”

“You… wouldn’t understand…” Nanao hiccupped as Starrk watched in alarm. Pregnancies were so rare! Why wasn’t she pleased? “My c-clan is gone and Shunsui’s family is g-gone and they wouldn’t have taken me anyway and I’m living in the barracks and Shunsui would know what to do but he’s… he’s…” Nanao dissolved into tears for a moment before continuing. Her voice was so choked it was hard for Starrk to understand. “Tosen will put me up on ch-charges and Aizen won’t c-care and I’ll go to the Maggot’s Nest and my baby will end up in an orphanage…” …Oh.

“Nanao, calm down,” Starrk said soothingly as he grasped her shoulder with one hand. He was understanding this now. Nanao had no nest and her mate might as well be dead. He could not fix the second, but he could do something about the first. “Are there any larger rooms in the barracks you could take?” Starrk asked and Nanao shook her head, still sniffing. “Then I will acquire a home for you.” It wouldn’t be that hard. Tosen’s purges had left plenty of vacant real estate. And also… “Failing that, I will pay for you to rent a house.” Starrk was getting paid now but he hadn’t spent a cent of it. “And we will set up a crib in the corner.” Starrk glanced around the room, mentally planning things. “…I should move my nest.” That would be mildly annoying but it would give them more room. Nanao was staring at him as if he was insane.

“I can’t raise my child in the Division!” Nanao exclaimed and Starrk put his hands in his pockets.

“You must. This is the only nest you have left,” he said gently and saw Nanao’s eyes water. “You can handle paperwork in between pup-tending.” How much would she actually get done? Maybe not that much, pups were demanding. However… “Lilynette can help, she’ll enjoy it.” At least, he hoped so. But Starrk thought his other half would be over the moon with delight. The only thing that would make her happier was if it was THEIR pup, but Lilynette would take what she could get.

“Normally, a female shinigami gets put on paid leave for five years after a birth,” Nanao said after a pause. Then she bit her lower lip. “But I can’t, can I,” she said in a low tone and Starrk grimaced.

“No.” They were thinking about the same thing… Tosen. “My arguments will be based on the fact that I need you to help me. If I don’t need you to help me…” Starrk let the thought trail off and Nanao rubbed her face.

“What if he takes it to Aizen?” Nanao asked and Starrk sighed, heavily.

“We should ask Lilynette.” She seemed to be strangely good at predicting Aizen. Far from perfect, though. “But I don’t think Aizen will really care about this. Or he might like it.” After all, he was going to need new shinigami. It was good for them to be breeding, wasn’t it? “I doubt Tosen will take it that far and if he does, Aizen will probably take my side.” Starrk really didn’t think Tosen would go that far, though. Yes, this would be an offense to his sensibilities but Starrk thought he would confine it to a tongue lashing and a warning not to do it again. He might even explicitly tell Nanao to keep her hands off Starrk, which would be hideously embarrassing. “…I need to find a bitch in heat.” Starrk mumbled to himself. He should see if any of Halibel’s fraccion were coming into season although then he’d have to ask if she minded him taking advantage. Or he could try to find a shinigami bitch but how did that work if you didn’t, well, behave like Nnoitra?

“Starrk?” Nanao waved a hand in front of his face and Starrk blinked as he realized he’d been spacing out. Lilynette would have kicked him for that – oh.

“Nanao, where is Lilynette?” Starrk suddenly had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He hadn’t seen Lilynette in far too long. And when he checked his connection to her he found she was very… concentrated on something. Oh kami that could be bad. “I think we should find her.” Hard concentration on that link told him that she was far away. Where? Oh kami she was near Barragan! “Actually, you should stay with taichou-san…” He’d best go rescue his other half from Barragan’s outraged (and probably completely legitimate) revenge.

Starrk quickly trotted out, then used sonido as soon as it was safe. He felt Lilynette’s absolute glee and sensed the flare of Barragan’s reiatsu. Internally, he winced and hoped that Lilynette was fast enough to keep evading the former King of Hueco Mundo. If not, she might get tossed through a wall. Well, it wasn’t like it hadn’t happened before.

In fact, it was depressingly familiar.


	5. Who Wants a Minion?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lilynette is still evil but for a good cause. Starrk approves.

Starrk leaned against the wall and pretended to sleep as he waited for Aizen to summon him.

He wasn’t sleeping, of course. _No one_ could sleep at a time like this. Barragan would have been standing with a stony expression, but clenched hands would give him away. Halibel would pace. Ulquiorra would look at the floor. Nnoitra would stand here and _not grin_ (for him, that said a lot). Grimmjow would pace and snarl, Zommari would try to meditate. Szayel would rub his hands together and sweat and Aaroniero would mumble to himself.

But Starrk was Starrk and so, he pretended to sleep. It made him feel better, somehow. Not a lot but a bit.

It’s not my fault. It’s really not my fault. The audit was behind. Starrk had missed a deadline but damnit, he just couldn’t help it! Nanao couldn’t help him enough. Eight shikai had relieved the pressure but not enough. Nanao was needed on the field and Starrk couldn’t hold her back from that. If he did, people would die and Starrk would likely be standing here anyway. It was all so frustrating.

“Ah, Starrk,” Starrk swallowed before opening his eyes. Aizen was smiling at him. “Please, walk with me,” he invited as though Starrk had any choice in the matter. The Primera nodded, straightening from his place at the wall. “I’m told you’ve had some difficulty meeting Tosen’s schedule,” Aizen said conversationally as they walked. Starrk put his hands in his pockets.

“It’s difficult. All the menos grande… and I’m not allowed to help my Division,” Starrk made his tone mildly reproachful. They both knew why that was, though. His endless hunger would draw the weak hollows into his soul collection. Aizen smiled at him.

“You want to become stronger, Starrk?” Aizen-kami’s tone was teasing and Starrk grit his teeth. No, but honestly, those weak hollows would be a drop in the bucket, completely meaningless. Now they were going down stairs and Starrk swallowed. He’d been down here before, looking for Lilynette, he knew what this was…

The dungeons were as ugly as he remembered. The only oddity was a female shinigami. She was earning her sword back (Starrk preferred to think of it that way) using a beaker of something clear. Acid, but highly diluted, Starrk was sure. And a small but odd looking paintbrush. The screams were quite spectacular. Aizen just enjoyed them for a moment before speaking in a voice that easily carried over the noise.

“Excellent work. However, I need to talk to Starrk. Please take a break,” Aizen requested and the shinigami bowed before leaving. Starrk noticed that she was from Szayel’s Division. Well, that was no surprise. Then there was a ripple in reality and Starrk blinked as the acid burns abruptly vanished from the victims. No one seemed pleased about the change and from the shudders, Starrk was sure the ‘healing’ had been painful. Swallowing, Starrk reached up to touch his chest. When he’d been brought back from the dead, he’d been uninjured, but his chest had been on fire for days.

Shaking aside that unpleasant memory, Starrk followed as Aizen took him to a particular cell. The white haired taichou, what was his name again? Ukitake, that was it. He’d featured prominently in Shunsui’s memories.

“Now, Starrk, I know you’re doing your best.” Thank kami! “However, your best simply isn’t adequate.” … “So, Starrk, I think it’s time for you to hold a second shinigami.” Uh…   
“Unless Ukitake-san would prefer to stay here?” Aizen’s tone was gently teasing and Starrk swallowed as there was a pause. The shinigami on the bench was thinking about staying as a display of solidarity to his fellows.

“Don’t be stupid! You – “ There was a choking sound and Starrk glanced over to see the redhead being choked by one of the Exequias. There was one last moment of hesitation before the man on the bench sighed.

“I would prefer not to stay here, Aizen-sama.” It sounded like the honorific hurt a bit to say, but Ukitake knew it was required.

“Excellent. Starrk?” Aizen invited him and Starrk nodded before calling up one of the little kido balls he had been given. Where should he apply it? Well, he could stick with hands. White taichou-san gasped as the kido dug into his body and Starrk watched as it formed a gothic one. Again, he felt the power sliding through the other man’s body, winding around and enslaving his.

Then Starrk blinked as emotions hit his mind. Resignation, fear, gratefulness to get out of here but empathy for those he would be leaving behind… Starrk blinked again before deliberately walling off those feelings. He found them disturbing. Glancing at Aizen-kami and receiving a nod, Starrk began to unchain the man from the bed. As he did, he brightened a bit. Holding this man would be a pain but when the audit was done, Ukitake could easily help with the menos –

“Starrk, as soon as he’s done helping you, send Ukitake to the First.” Damn! “We’re staggering the audits and they’ll be next.” …Ugh. “I expect you to meet all of Tosen’s deadlines in the future.” Double ugh.

“Yes, Aizen-kami,” Starrk said, resigned. Just as he took off the final chain, one of the Exequias arrived with clothes. Aizen-kami left, then, and Starrk looked away as his new pet put on his clothing with hands that only shook a tiny bit. “We need to go find Lilynette,” Starrk said gloomily. Kami knew what she was up to. The white haired man gave him a haunted look.

“Starrk-sama, she told me that Shunsui’s mind had been… melted. Is that true?” Ukitake asked and Starrk hesitated before heaving a sigh.

“I wouldn’t have put it that way, but it’s close. He’s catatonic,” Starrk said honestly and saw the other man go pale. “The drugs from the Living World are having a good effect. He no longer drools, he sometimes seems to see things and he reacts more to pain. However, he does not speak.” There was a long way to go.

“Oh my kami,” Ukitake-san sounded sick. Starrk just shrugged helplessly before turning and walking out. He didn’t want to spend time in this foul place.

As they left, though, something foul was waiting for them.

“Beautiful clean canvasses,” the female shinigami said with a wide smile and Starrk stared at her for a moment. She was a strange looking woman, with a moon face and disturbingly large eyes. Starrk could feel Ukitake’s sickness and quickly hurried past her, mentally searching for Lilynette.

He just needed to collect his other half and they could all get out of here.

* * *

Lilynette stomped through the palace, feeling really pissed.

Starrk had told her to bug off, which told her what was going to happen if she hadn’t known already. Then, when she’d tried to go check out the prisoners again the Exequias had stopped her and told her it was Aizen’s orders. That told her exactly where Starrk was going. At least she didn’t feel any pain from him so he wasn’t on one of those beds. Yet.  
There wasn’t a damned thing she could do, though, so Lilynette just started randomly walking. And that was how she found something incredibly interesting.

“…Um. Wow.” Lilynette stared at the WAY familiar figure that had been fused with a chair of stone. His eyes were closed, although they almost always were. “Is that as painful as it looks?” she asked as Gin lifted his head.

“Lily-chan! Nice t’ see ya,” Gin said with his trademark smile. “And yeah, it stings a little,” he admitted and Lilynette shook her head.

“I bet. Why’d you do it?” Lilynette asked curiously. She’d heard what Gin had done, although they weren’t supposed to talk about it. Lilynette looked around and spotted a little stone ledge, that’d do.. she scampered onto it, taking a seat and swinging her legs. “Or maybe I should ask, why didn’t you do it earlier?” Why’d Gin wait ‘til the very last second to stab Aizen in the back? Wouldn’t it have been easier way earlier, before he fused with that stone of his. Gin laughed but it sounded really rough.

“Ah, Lily-chan… I wanted somethin’ out of that rock o’ his. And I was pretty sure if I took it too soon, I’d never get it,” Gin admitted and Lilynette frowned. That sounded weird, but what did she know about the hogyoku anyway? “In retrospect I shoulda taken the chance. But what are you doin’ all the way out here?”

“Huh? Oh, just wandering. Aizen’s threatening Starrk and no one wants me around.” Lilynette was disgusted with the whole thing. Really, why did Aizen have to be so MEAN to Starrk? Although, he was mean to everybody, wasn’t like it was weird. Gin’s smile had a questioning edge so she kept talking. Did he know what was going on in here? “See, Aizen melted that one guy’s mind…” It didn’t take her long to get Gin up to speed on what was happening. “If I were there I’d kick him!” Aizen was a dick! Gin laughed again and Lilynette frowned. He didn’t sound good AT ALL.

“You need to watch your temper, Lily-chan,” Gin said and Lilynette grimaced. Yeah, she knew that. “You already got Starrk-chan killed once.”

“HEY!” So not fair! “I didn’t get Starrk killed! He got himself killed!” Lilynette snapped and Gin just smiled at her. “…Although I didn’t help.” Lilynette added grudgingly. Getting Starrk blown up in a fireball… that hadn’t been her finest moment. “Although you know, I saved him a few times! And I didn’t get him stabbed in the back!” That had been Starrk’s dumbass moment.

“Yeah, that’s true. Y’know, I wondered why Aizen let the puppies perish,” Gin said and Lilynette scowled at him. She wasn’t a puppy! “You two are his favorites, y’know. But now I guess I know why. Just a l’il lesson…” Then he coughed and grimaced. Jeez, that did look painful.

“Oh, shut it,” Lilynette grumbled. Puppies… “We’re his favorites? Is that good or bad?” Lilynette knew why they might be Aizen’s favorites, though. Starrk was smart and could do all kinds of things if you kicked him enough and Aizen thought she was funny. Still, was that a GOOD thing?

“Could be good, could be bad. We’ll have to see how it turns out,” Gin said and Lilynette sighed. Great. “But I was wonderin’ if there’s something you could do for me, Lily-chan?” What? Lilynette eyed him askance. “Could you put me outta my misery?” …Ahahaha NO.

“No way,” Lilynette said firmly and held up a hand when Gin opened his mouth. “And don’t ask me to go get Starrk. We both know he’d do it and then he’d be in trouble with Aizen and it wouldn’t matter because Aizen can _bring back the dead.”_ Gin’s brain must not be working too great if he hadn’t thought of that. That shut him up, just like she’d known it would. Then he smiled and almost looked like his old self.

“Aw, Lily-chan! Guess you’re right, no point in getting the puppies in trouble…” Gin said and Lilynette would have stayed longer, but she was getting the old ‘Starrk’s looking for you’ vibe.

“Well, it’s been great but I gotta go,” Lilynette said before hopping off the ledge. If Starrk was looking for her it meant he’d gotten out of things without being whipped or anything, yay! “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Now that she knew where Gin was, Lilynette would be paying lots of visits. He’d have all KINDS of good ideas! She scampered out, looking for Starrk.

Then she got to Starrk and what the HELL?

“What’s this guy doing here?” Lilynette asked with a scowl. That dick with the white hair and he was wearing the white and black uniform and – OH HELL NO! “STARRK! What the hell!” Lilynette complained. He had a gothic one on his hand. Starrk ran a hand through his hair, looking harassed.

“He’s going to be helping me with the budget. No kicking him, no punching him and absolutely no playing tricks on him,” Starrk said firmly and Lilynette pouted. No fun! On the other hand, this was good for Starrk. He needed help on the budget and she did NOT want him to end up on one of those benches.

“Well, Gin said to work on my temper. Guess I should start now,” Lilynette mumbled to herself. Gin was right, she really needed to work on that.  
“Hello Lilynette-chan!” …Grr. Okay, maybe that was going to be hard. “I don’t have any candy right now but as soon as I’m settled in, I’ll get some for you.” Well, that’d be nice. Right now she was using her Gin tricks and stealin’ it. That sometimes meant she got chased off, though.

“Well, alright. Let’s get you back, there’s gonna be tears and stuff.” Lilynette knew that was coming. Starrk just sighed, scratching his head. What was his problem? Then they left, going back to the Eighth.

Lilynette figured out Starrk’s problem after they got there.

“Holy shit!” Lilynette mumbled as she saw that shinigami getting practically mobbed. Word had gone out SO FAST and weird people were showing up by the boatload. They were still in the practice grounds, they hadn’t made it to the office. What were they supposed to do about this?

“You have one hour,” Starrk’s voice rang out pretty clear over the bedlam. “After that, this reunion ends and you will come to the office to begin work.” And meet up with Boring again, not that he’d say much to his buddy. Lilynette wondered how that would go. Well, she wasn’t going to find out. Making a snap decision, Lilynette decided to go steal some candy. She was in the mood for it now.

Those shopkeeper’s would never see her comin’.

* * *

Starrk watched the reunion in his office, feeling rather sad.

“You’ll get better, I know you will. You’ve pulled through worse before,” Ukitake was saying to his friend, who just stared at him with blank eyes. Starrk grimaced but decided not to point out that he was fairly sure taichou-san hadn’t pulled through worse. Going up behind the man, he gently rested a hand on Juushiro’s shoulder. He looked up and Starrk was struck by the pain in those brown eyes.

“He cannot hear you and I do need your help with the audit,” Starrk said gently as Nanao quietly sniffed. She was standing nearby, also watching the reunion. “You can take him on a walk later.” Lilynette wouldn’t care and Ukitake would likely want to. White taichou-san took a deep, shuddering breath before nodding.

“Yes, you’re right.” Juushiro gently patted his friend’s hand before joining Starrk and Nanao at the table. They had to spend some time getting him up to speed on what they were doing, but the white haired taichou-san soon proved useful. Starrk felt a great sense of relief. Aizen-kami was giving him the tools he needed to complete his work. That meant his god wanted him to succeed.

It was a comforting thought.

* * *

When opportunity knocked, you had to grab it by the balls and squeeze.

That was what Lilynette liked to say, anyway. It made Starrk look pained and Nanao adjusted her glasses. That was how she lived her life, though. Opportunity for a spontaneous prank? Oh hell yah! SQUEEZE.

Lilynette had never expected it to be literal though. Especially not walking through the streets of the Seireitei. They were a bunch of damned prudes, why would balls be on display?

Lilynette had noticed people hurrying away but hadn’t thought much of it. Charlotte in full outfit made people do that. Then she saw what they were REALLY running away from, though, and stopped to stare.

“Uh…” Lilynette muttered, staring at what was going on. Nnoitra had a kinda boring looking bitch pinned to the wall and was fucking her really good and hard. That might be alright, Lilynette supposed, but the sounds she was making were more ‘augh augh augh’ than ‘oh oh oh.’ She knew all about ‘oh oh oh’, Starrk did get laid sometimes and Lilynette had listened in. Starrk was good at making girls scream the right way.

Nnoitra clearly didn’t give a rats’ ass how she was screaming, though, and Lilynette grinned. His pants were down around his knees and he’d NEVER worn underwear – heck, Starrk didn’t either – so she could do something MEAN to him!

So she did. Lilynette snuck up behind Nnoitra, before slapping him sharply on the buttcheeks before grabbing his balls and giving them a nice, hearty squeeze.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!?” Lilynette dodged the blow aimed at her, giggling. Then she tried to fondle his ass a bit more. Nnoitra was going to have to stop fucking if he wanted her to stop, oh yeah! “YOU LITTLE BITCH!” Now he was actually stopping fucking! Woo hoo! Of course, that meant she might want to run for it!

Lilynette took off like a gazelle, ducking and dodging. She wasn’t the fastest but she was slippery! Woo hoo! Nnoitra almost got her but she went UNDER and planted a foot on his leg before JUMPING and he MISSED and –

Then Starrk caught her and yanked her away as he kicked Nnoitra in the chest.

“Lilynette, what have you done this time?” Starrk sounded really tired but then he got completely un-tired when he looked at Nnoitra. “…Why are you not wearing any pants?” Starrk sounded appalled and Lilynette giggled wickedly. Nnoitra had totally lost them and didn’t seem to care!

“She interrupted me when I was fucking my bitch!” Nnoitra was still outraged and Lilynette rolled her eye. Man, he was stupid, did he think ANYONE was going to sympathize? Geez, even that Cirucci bitch whipped her pet in private! Only Yammy would be that fucking thick! But Starrk was glaring at her?

“Lilynette, you broke into his house to interrupt him during sex?” Starrk asked and Lilynette’s mouth dropped open. WHA?

“What? No! He was doing it in the STREET Starrk! Look at the bitch!” Lilynette pointed and Starrk’s gaze followed her finger to the girl. She was on the ground, curled up and sobbing. “Everyone was running away! He totally deserved it!”

“Nnoitra, you were having sex in public _in front of Lilynette?!?”_ Starrk’s voice ended on a roar and Nnoitra actually seemed to realize he was in trouble, pwehehe! Lilynette grinned but then her eye fell on something interesting.

Letting Starrk distract Nnoitra, Lilynette moved stealthily towards her target. The woman on the ground was shaking and pulling on her clothes and ew, was that blood? Nnoitra was a dick! Wow, he so deserved this! The woman saw her and Lilynette made the ol’ ‘shush’ gesture before grabbing Nnoitra’s pants. Now where could she…?

Grinning wickedly, Lilynette found a really nice fence to stuff them through. Nnoitra would never find ‘em, pwehehe! Skipping back, Lilynette arrived just in time to see Starrk grab the bitch and toss her over his shoulder. Woah, he-man Starrk! Then he was gone in sonido and HEY!

“Starrk!” Lilynette could track him though and she did, although she was way slower than Starrk. What was he doing though? Where was he taking the bitch?  
RIGHT to Tosen and he didn’t CARE that there was a meeting going on! Starrk just barged right in! Lilynette grinned as Starrk immediately started to rant, the woman still on his shoulder.

“I demand something be done about this!” Barragan and Halibel were both looking at him like he was totally nutso, pwehehe! “Are there no standards of public decency? Are we wild animals? Tosen, you need to enforce some rules around here!” He was definitely the right one to do it, oh yeah. The blind bastard was looking confused and pissed, though.

“Coyote Starrk, you – Nnoitra, why the hell are you not wearing your hakama?!?” Someone had just arrived and HAHAHAHA! Starrk set the bitch on her feet as Nnoitra talked.

“I couldn’t find it! I think the little bitch stole it!” He made a threatening gesture but Lilynette skipped behind Starrk. Let Nnoitra try something! Then her bigger half put a hand on her head and she looked up. Starrk was looking veeeeeeery interested.

“Lilynette, did you really?” Starrk asked and she grinned.

“I totally did!” She chirped and Starrk patted her on the head.

“Good work.” OH YEAH! Starrk hardly EVER thought her pranks were a good idea, that was awesome! Then Tosen broke in.

“Starrk. What is going on here?” Then Starrk started telling the story and he didn’t get it too wrong so Lilynette let him. Nnoitra kept breaking in to correct things but he wasn’t doing himself any favors, nosiree. The whole story about how the ‘bitch kept correcting me and needed to be shown her place’ definitely didn’t go over too well. And then he said something REALLY dumb.

“There’s no law against fucking my bitch!” Nnoitra complained and Starrk snarled back.

“Yes, there is, it’s called ‘public nudity’!” Well, technically, RAPE was a crime too but no one seemed to care about THAT as long as the victims were nobles and stuff. Hey, this bitch had to be a noble, was she a high one? Eh, what did it matter. 

“Nnoitra Gilga.” Haha, Tosen was pissed! “You will no longer be allowed to hold this woman.” He walked right up to her and DID SOMETHING to the mark? It just vanished! Wow, Aizen must have given Tosen that power! “Do better with your other one or she will be removed from you as well.” Lilynette would have to do a bet with Gin on how long that chick’d last.

“I predict he will have her less than a year,” Barragan said to the air and Lilynette giggled wickedly as Nnoitra looked furious. Then Tosen got down to the punch line.

“However, this woman is noble. If she is not taken as a pet, I will not permit her to live.” …Erk. The woman was frozen as Starrk looked at her wide eyed. Lilynette blinked and really looked at the bitch for the first time.

She was kind of boring looking. Thick brown hair in a braid that went down her back, and big bookish glasses. She had good tits, though, probably why Nnoitra’d taken her. And a nice butt, not huge but with a good shape. Starrk liked a really nice butt, not that he’d admit it. She was so weak though, only a little better than a plus soul. Even if he dialed back his power as far as it could go, could Starrk do it?

“…I think I would kill her if I tried.” Starrk said and Lilynette wrinkled her nose. She thought so too. The woman was shaking like a leaf. “I… Halibel…?”

“I can’t. I have five already. And frankly, I am not much better than you.” Halibel said softly and Lilynette grimaced. That was true, wasn’t it? Then she froze as she had a WICKED idea!

“I can do it! I can do it!” She grabbed Starrk’s shirt and yanked on him. This was so exciting! “Gimme a ball Starrk and let me do it! I won’t hurt her! Let me do it!” Everyone was staring at her but Lilynette didn’t care. This was the chance of a lifetime!

“I… Lilynette, are you sure?” Starrk seemed gobsmacked. Lilynette nodded enthusiastically.

“Yeah, why not? I’m part of you but I’m way weaker! Even if it doesn’t work it won’t hurt and I’m sure I can, I’ve watched you do it! Gimme Starrk!” Starrk looked dubious and glanced at Tosen. Tosen was looking kinda interested and nodded, so Starrk called up one of the balls and handed it to her. Lilynette concentrated hard, charging it up with her reiatsu. Man, this was harder than it looked! When she thought it was okay she put it into the woman’s hand and YAY! It WORKED!

“Is that a one? It looks like a three.” And everyone was a critic! Although the one did look a little deformed, Lilynette supposed.

“Whatever, it worked!” Lilynette jumped as the bitch looked at her hand. Lilynette could feel her wondering what this meant, hehehe! “I have a minion! YAY! I’ve always wanted a minion!” This would be SO MUCH fun!

“I’m going to kill you both,” Nnoitra growled and was he talking to her and the bitch? Lilynette scowled as Starrk snarled.

“Get out of my sight!” Starrk actually managed a really nasty growl. Nnoitra still wasn’t that intimidated, though, as he stalked out. Oh well. Starrk really needed to kill some people, right now everyone thought he was all bark and no bite. It was rough though, Starrk was just too nice to really off someone with total brutality. Sigh.

“Let’s get my minion home! Hey, what’s your name?” Although Lilynette’d just call the chick minion, a lot of the time. The chick blinked before adjusting her glasses.

“Kuchiki Maaya.” Hey, that was awfully pretty! Maybe she’d use it after all. And she was one of those high nobles! Not that it meant much of anything these days except people could do stuff to you. Then Starrk was pulling them out which was a good idea, Tosen wanted them out the door.

“Lilynette, no running her into the ground,” Starrk said with a sigh and Lilynette scowled.

“Oi! I can do what I want with my minion! She’ll be fine! Hey, you need to get that house already!” They really needed it now! Starrk waved a hand vaguely.

“It’s fine, the arrangements will be done next month.” Oh yeah? “For now, I’ll put her in the barracks.” That’d work. “Here, let me…” Starrk picked up the chick more carefully this time and Lilynette frowned. Her minion had some shunpo, right? Well, she could get Nanao to teach her if she didn’t. As they went back, Lilynette grinned.

She had her own minion! Gin’d be proud.


End file.
